Punjab and Haryana High Court keeps option open for shifting premises

The Punjab and Haryana High Court today made it clear that it was still open to the idea of shifting its premises, provided such a move had the concurrence of the general body of the Punjab and Haryana High Court Bar Association.

Two other proposals also came up for discussion before the Bench — conversion of adjoining forest land into non-forest area to allow expansion of the existing premises and construction of a new structure opposite the high court Bar room with three-level underground parking, three floors above the ground and 16 additional courtrooms. The project, estimated to cost about Rs 200 crore would, however, require clearance from the UNESCO.

The matter came up as the Bench of Chief Justice Sheel Nagu and Justice Ramesh Kumari resumed hearing on the issue of space crunch in the high court. Additional Solicitor-General of India Satya Pal Jain submitted that a series of meetings with the stakeholders had been held.

In the first meeting held on August 5, there was “almost unanimity” among stakeholders that “the present space/accommodation available for the court, lawyers as well as the parking was not sufficient for effective working of the high court. There are a lot of problems pertaining to space, parking, etc., which are getting aggravated day by day”.

The Bench was told that the Bar president was requested to talk to the members and get their opinion as to whether they would like to continue at the same place or go to a new building at Sarangpur village. Jain added that the allotment of a plot for the construction of a new building in the IT Park was also deliberated, but the UT Administration officials made it “absolutely clear” that they were not in a position to allot any land in IT Park.

At a subsequent meeting, the Bar association’s president produced a resolution passed by its executive committee declaring the existing accommodation insufficient. It stated that the executive committee was of the opinion that “it will be in the interest of everyone that we opt for a new building at Sarangpur village as offered by the Chandigarh Administration.”

It was also pointed out during the course of hearing by those present that the construction of a new high court building at Sarangpur along with related paraphernalia at the alternative site could take “not less than 10 years”. As such, additional construction within the existing premises was also discussed as an interim measure.

Taking note of this, the Bench recorded: “The executive committee has passed a resolution that they are ready and willing to search for an alternative site for the high court. Let the resolution of the executive committee be placed before the general body, which if passed, would definitely be accepted by the court, not otherwise.”

Jain during the course of hearing also suggested that the forest land touching the High Court could be converted into non-forest for the purpose of expansion and sought a week’s time to come back with a response in this regard. He further informed the Bench about the possibility of constructing a new complex opposite the Bar Room. Apart from 16 judges’ quarters, the building would provide multi-level parking, easing congestion.